Officials reviewing information for proposed skate park

City officials are considering designs and concepts for a potential skate park while weighing alternative park ideas.

Sanford City Council is reviewing information from skate parks around the state to determine its next step in moving forward with a proposed skate park, a project that has been in the works for many months.

General Service Director Tim Shaw solicited information concerning cost, design and use, among other items, from municipalities around the state and organized into a packet for council members. The proposals were discussed during the council’s December meeting and are set to be reviewed during the council’s upcoming Law and Finance Committee 1 p.m. Jan. 9 meeting.

Since the last discussion of the skate park, Shaw said he has not received any comments from the public and wanted the council to have the additional information provided by other cities.

Several of the cities relied on donated work or efforts by interested skaters to raise funds, according to information provided by Shaw.

Councilman Charles Taylor, who has previously suggested the skate park be multi-functional, discussed the possibility of installing a splash-pad park or creating a bike path instead of a skate park.

“There are some alternatives,” he said. “I have watched what has happened in the past years and bike programs are increasing.”

A bike path or ramps for bikes could be tied into the greenway and wooden elements — bridges, ramps, hills, etc. — could be placed on trails for people to use as they ride their bike, Taylor said.

“There is a saturation of skate parks in North Carolina,” he said. “They have seen their members drop and I think there are some cities who regret they went the skate park route. I’d like to see something more innovative.”

As for the splash pad park idea, there are many families that use Depot Park for that reason, Taylor said, and the city could build a park that could be expanded on when more funds are available. The splash pad would be safe with little standing water and be used for a majority of the year.

The proposed 4,000-square-foot skate park is planned for the intersection of Third Street and North Avenue. Shaw said he will continue to solicit information from local skateboarders or anyone interested in the park project.